Haunted
by jibber59
Summary: A dilapidated home with a tragic past. Add Ezra, Vin and JD to the mix on Halloween and the outcome is inevitable. (ATF)
1. Chapter 1

"You do recognize that this is a complete waste of our valuable time."

For the third time on the drive, Vin answered the complaint. "No Ezra, I don't. It is a lead, and it's kind of our job to follow up on those."

"We are so generously paid to apprehend criminals, not to scurry about in the wilderness following questionable information from a decidedly unreliable source"

"This is the countryside, not the wilderness. And Larry has given me good information in the past."

JD almost drove the car off the road. "Larry? You got this from Lyin' Larry? The guy wouldn't know the truth if he tripped on it."

"So he exaggerates from time to time." Vin was fully aware of the immediate need to defend his source or lose the already limited support of his teammates. "But he's given me some good stuff too. That van full of AK-47s was his tip."

"Yes, but it was supposed to be a truckload of grenades based on his information. Hardly reliable." Ezra looked less than pleased with this latest revelation. Slim leads were one thing, but wild goose chases to search an abandoned property in the middle of nowhere were an entirely different manner. Add in the fact it was damp, cold and foggy and this was becoming an extremely unpleasant morning.

"We might as well go along with this Ezra. Vin ain't gonna give up on it. Besides, Chris is looking for any leads he can get on Bronstein, so we might as well just get on with it."

With one of the team won over, Vin tried to spur Ezra on. "We check this out, and we can meet up with Nathan and Chris at the barn to see if they had any luck. Then we can all head off to help finish decorating the youth centre for the party tonight."

Ezra growled softly. "If that was intended as inspiration Vin, it fell far from the mark. Hanging synthetic cobwebs and creating a witches brew does not register on my list of enticing ways to spend an afternoon."

"Halloween party is for the kids Ezra. Stop being such a spoil-sport."

Bringing the car to a stop at the end of the long, overgrown drive, JD jumped from the vehicle. The wind slammed the car door further back than he had expected and he swore softly at the act. Before slamming it closed he reached in and grabbed is scarf off the seat, wrapping it around his neck in a less than successful effort to warm himself.

"Wasn't this bad back in town. Storm came out of nowhere." Leaves were whipped around at their feet by strong gusts, and there was just enough moisture in the air to make things uncomfortable and slippery. JD barely managed to keep his balance as feet skidded from under him when he hurried across the wet lawn. Taking note of the conditions, the others tread more cautiously, but were equally anxious to be out of the inclement conditions.

"Let's get this done. Buck will have all the slime and gore used up by the time we get there at this rate."

"Well, that would be a tragedy." Ezra grimaced at the thought of the hours ahead. Halloween was far from the top of the holiday list for him, and the thought of the assorted mischiefs Buck and JD would be getting into for the remainder of the day did little to lift his mood. "Precisely where in this replica of the Adams Family home are the weapons supposed to be squirreled away?"

There was no hiding the surprise on Vin's face. "Nice pop culture reference there Ez. Wouldn't have expected you to come up with that comparison. Larry said there is a vault sort of space in the basement that Bronstein has used before. Almost like a cave. Apparently, the property belonged to his uncle, or great uncle or something like that. The whole family, uncle, aunt and cousin, killed when some rival thugs came after him over 20 years ago. Was over a week till anyone found the bodies and the place has been abandoned since. The fourth victim was another young cousin about 8 years old, but she was never found."

"Guess no one wants to buy a place where a mass murder happened. I get that." JD shuddered slightly as he looked up and the crumbling shell of a home. "Do you think it's haunted?"

With any of the others, the question would have been laughed off, but based on a past shared experience, there wasn't even a smile.

Vin kept his voice level. "No such thing as spirits JD. We've had this discussion before."

"Yeah, and then we had our little encounter with them in that appropriately described ghost town. You can't tell me you've forgotten about Four Corners."

"That was just a wind storm and some over stimulated imaginations."

"Vin, you saw the ghost horse and rider yourself! How can you –"

Ezra raised a hand. "Leave it be JD. If it is easier for our friend to rationalize the experience than it is to accept an otherworldly explanation, who are we to challenge him. Now, can we proceed with what we are here for, and get the hell out of here?" He marched ahead brusquely, hoping he was hiding the sense of foreboding he'd had since the arrived on the property. Talk of ghosts and spirits were not helping matters.

As required, Ezra knocked on the door, despite the fact it was not only unlocked, but unlatched. He didn't voice his fervent wish that no one would answer. Identifying themselves as federal agents, the three entered the home. The creaks and moans underfoot only served to add to the atmosphere of gloom. Ezra felt a chill that he knew had nothing to do with the fall weather. "Where do we go from here?"

"Beats me." Vin shrugged as he spoke, wishing he could give the answer they all wanted and be done with this. "It's not like I've been here before."

"Wonderful."

"You think we aren't alone Ezra?" JD remembered all to well the tale told when the trio had been stranded in the ghost town a year earlier. He hadn't questioned the notion that Ezra had a gift, or curse depending on your perspective, for sensing the supernatural. It wasn't something that came into frequent service, and certainly none of them and elected to discuss it again, but JD firmly believed it to be true. The fact that Ezra had paled slightly and wrapped his jacket more tightly around himself was all the indication needed to confirm something was off here.

Not in the mood to encourage any of that conversation Vin spoke sharply. "Thought I said knock it off JD. Nobody here but us, so let's just find the basement and with any luck the guns, shall we? Be fastest to split up." Under different circumstances the look on the young agent's face would have been hilarious, but now it was merely annoying. "You can't seriously be telling me you are scared to be alone."

"For reasons far more tangible than our friend's concerns, I would agree with his preference to stay close to each other. This home is less than safe. In truth, it would likely be condemned if anyone had bothered to inspect it in the past decade or so."

As much as he would like to, Vin couldn't argue the point. Age, neglect and mother nature had taken their toll on the structure. There was scarcely a window left intact, which had permitted the elements to invade. There were signs of weakened flooring, sagging beams and collapsing framework. "Does seem strange the place is even still standing."

"Making unlikely that Bronstein or his minions would select this as a storage spot."

"Or," Vin countered, "making it exactly the perfect spot to stash the weapons."

JD just want this over. "Stairs to the basement would likely be from the kitchen, which was probably at the back, so let's go." He led the way, with Vin close behind. Ezra sighed to himself, looking up the staircase that the ground floor seemed centred around. It was too far gone to support their weight, let alone the weight of men carrying boxes of weapons, so there was no point in going up. Why then did he feel almost compelled to do so? He walked slowly toward them, resting his hand on the sloping curve at the bottom of the handrail. The brass bar fell to the ground at the touch with a crash that had the other two back in the room in an instant.

"What happened?" "You OK?" The voices overrode each other.

"Yes, I am fine. I was merely looking up and must have brushed the sides. Not that we needed proof, but I would say this confirms my previous observation that this edifice is not safe."

"I'm not leaving without looking."

"Why waste our time Vin? It is obvious no human has set foot in here in ages. As a tracker, you must have seen the proof. No footprints in the dirt, no disturbance of the dust, no broken cobwebs."

Unwilling to give up on his information Vin thought about it for a minute. "Places this old probably had tunnels to the basement. Back ways in for deliveries of wood or coal and the like. Maybe that's how they are getting in and out."

"A back route is even more likely to have succumbed to the degradation of time, assuming it hasn't long since been boarded over or filled in."

JD had given up on the argument and made his way back toward where he assumed the kitchen would be. He found a set of stairs, but a quick glance down showed they weren't going to the basement, but to a secondary kitchen area.

"It is a cool pantry." He jumped at the unexpected nearness of Ezra's voice. "Many homes used to have them as storage area for produce, especially when the cellar of a home was unsuited to the task."

"With the rock foundations up here, they likely didn't have a deep basement." Vin agreed. "Or dry."

After shining his flashlight around the room JD spotted what he'd been looking for. "Guess you're right. I found another door. Have to agree with Ezra. I don't think this has been touched in years."

Joining him, Vin had to concede the point. The only movement that had taken place in this room was the dancing of dried leaves and the scurried steps of mice, squirrels and other assorted four-legged inhabitants. The door hinges protested vigorously as they were forced out of years of inactivity, and halfway open was the most they could allow. Pulling a flashlight from his pocket, Vin aimed it down the stone steps.

"Well, at least the path hasn't rotted away."

"You intend to go down and search, despite what the evidence is telling you." Ezra had voiced it as a question, but the tone was far more accusatory than he had intended. Normal reluctance as such and apparent wasted effort aside, he was at a loss to explain why his temper was frayed to its last strand. "That takes obstinacy to a new level."

"I'm going to be able to write a report that says we searched where we were told to. You don't want to come down, stay here." Vin bit back the rest of his comment, knowing at some level Ezra was right. But he was damned if they were going to come all this way without finishing the job. He stormed down the stairs, and with a quick glance back, JD followed him.

"Of all the asinine, bull headed, reckless moves…" Ezra pulled out his own light, knowing he had no choice but to follow. He paused on the first step, whipping around to look back into the hallway. Leaves. It must have been leaves that he saw whisking up the stairs. Anything else would have collapsed them.

His attention was pulled back to the basement at the soft splashing should he heard.

"Son of a bitch. JD, Ezra, stay on the stairs." Vin had turned the corner step to the lower landing and slid on the moss and slime covered stone step, landing on his butt in about a foot of cold, stale water. "Something is letting the river water in here. Not a lot of it, but enough. You win Ezra, this place was a dead end."

"You may not believe it, but I would have preferred for you to be correct Vin. Failure here means we will have to continue our search. Do you need our help?" Getting a negative response, he turned and carefully made his way back up and out of the way.

JD lingered for a moment, reaching down to offer help despite the claim it was unneeded. Vin reached stood slowly, being very deliberate where he set his foot down since he had no clue what was under the water. He stepped on something, likely a rock, which was just enough to put him off balance and he grabbed for JD's outstretched hand as he stumbled sideways into a support beam. The rotted wood gave way under the impact and he fell back into the water, pulling his would-be rescuer off the steps. Before he could begin to voice an apology, the sound of cracking wood and falling debris echoed through the space and the two men were knocked back and covered by the wreckage.

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	2. Chapter 2

Ezra had just made his way to the main kitchen when he felt the floor give way beneath him. He dove frantically toward the side of the room, hoping to find more stable footing, but his foot went through a newly opening gap, denying him the leverage he needed. He fell forward, feeling his knee twist as he hit the ground and scrambled as again he felt the boards disintegrate beneath him. His luck failed again, and he dropped harshly to the floor below, trying to shield his head against the rubble that tumbled after him. He froze in place, terrified any movement would result in a third fall.

After several moments of stillness, he hazarded a look around. The stair case was mostly destroyed, and what he could see was covered in a mound of plaster, wood and brick. Through the gaps he could see the grey storm clouds. Obviously, part of the back wall had come down on him when the collapse began.

No, not on him, on them. "Vin! JD! Where are you? Can you hear me?" He held his breath, waiting for the answer that didn't come. "This is no time to be shy gentlemen. Loud acknowledgements would be most appreciated." When the room remained silent, Ezra lifted his head and shoulder to enable himself to better see the damage. Pain stabbed down his arm and right side and he bit back the scream, knowing instinctively the deep breath would cause even more discomfort. He moved more slowly the second time, looking down to see a deep gash in his side likely caused by some of the debris that now resembled a field of wooden spears. The effort to put pressure on it sent another wave of pain up his arm, but with the amount of blood already staining his shirt, he knew he needed to do something.

"Vin, JD. Please answer me."

 _They_ _can't._

Ezra snapped his head around at the voice, regretting it immediately as his vision swam. He pulled at the tie from around his neck. That would hold a pressure bandage in place, if only he had one. Biting his lip to keep from shouting, he maneuvered until he got his jacket off then ripped the sleeve from his shirt. His vision was fading as he forced himself to stay awake long enough to secure the makeshift bandage, not that he believed for a moment it was going to be enough.

"Vin. JD. Answer me."

 _They can't hear you_. It was a child, a girl. He looked around again but couldn't see anyone. How in God's name had a child gotten in here?

"Who's there? Where are you? You need to go get us some help."

 _I can't do that._

This was ridiculous. Ezra shivered, feeling chills running through him again. "Well of course you're chilled Standish. You're hurt and probably going into shock. Pull yourself together."

 _Why are you talking to yourself?_

"Show yourself." He looked around, knowing in his heart he wasn't going to see anyone. "Show yourself damnit!"

"Ezra, that you? You alright?"

The voice from beneath him was a welcomed relief. "Vin, you had me worried. Are you injured? Is JD?"

"Neither one of us is going to be running any marathons for a while, but it doesn't seem to bad. JD took a hard hit to the head then the ceiling collapsed, and I'm pretty sure I cracked a few ribs. Maybe a bit worse, but nothing critical." I hope, he added to himself. "Who are you talking too."

'No one' did not seem like the kind of answer Vin would be happy to hear. "I was calling for you, of course. "Can you get yourselves out of there?" Please say yes.

"Don't think so. If we try clearing this stuff out from below I think we'll bring it down on us. You're gonna have to do the heavy lifting this time." Vin's concern grew rapidly when there was no response. "Ezra – you didn't answer me before. Are you alright?"

"A few bumps and scrapes Vin, but I am not entirely certain how much help I can be. Most of the wall seems to now be blocking the staircase, and I don't believe I am equipped to clear the debris on my own."

"I know you Ezra. Bumps and scrapes likely means you're half bleeding to death."

It was annoying to learn he had lost his ability to bluff these men. "No where close. I shall make the effort to find a way to you. I don't suppose you have located an alternate way out of your predicament."

JD had been using his light to scan the walls in hopes of finding the sort of tunnel or access that had been discussed earlier. "I've been looking Ezra. Can't find that, or where the water is coming in from."

"Damn it, JD." Vin admonished.

"Do you really think that is a detail you should have been keeping from me. The water is rising?"

The was a resigned tone in Vin's answer. "Think so. The level might just be higher because of all the crap that fell in, but I think I can feel a bit of a current, like there is motion, which probably means there a source out there trying to get in here."

"How fast?"

"Can't really say. I don't think it's bad but…"

Ezra knew where the thought was going. "But since you don't know the source, you cannot be certain the rate will not increase, especially at the rate this edifice is deteriorating. I know this is a stupid question, but I am assuming you have tried to use your cell phones?"

"No signal on mine, and Vin's got busted when he fell on his ass the first time."

"I have no signal either, but possibly if I can – when I get outside, I will be able to contact the others for assistance. Many hands make light work."

"If? Ezra, how bad are you hurt?"

Ezra bit back a moan as he forced himself to sit. Trying to push himself to his feet and maintain silence was much more of a challenge as the knee he had twisted failed to support him. He grabbed at the wall for support, ripping his palm on the rough surface.

"It is not a matter of injury Vin, it is a matter of debris. Like you, I am finding it difficult to make use of the stairs to reach ground level." No point in mentioning that was because there were no stairs left. He dragged himself to the area where the case had been and scanned it for a pathway. Seeing nothing promising he reached his phone as high into the air as he could, hoping to see bars appear.

 _Are you going to try to climb out?_

He looked around again, and then upward. He didn't expect to see anyone which explained why the outline of a young girl startled him. He was about speak to her when it registered to him that he was also seeing the outline of the wreckage when he looked at her. Looked through her.

"What are you doing here?"

There was a timid shrug. _I can't leave._

"You say something Ezra?"

"No Vin. Just a little self encouragement."

 _You won't get out this way. It's too steep._

"I have no choice." Ezra couldn't quite believe he was arguing with a ghost. Perhaps he had hit his head after all. That could explain so much more. Ignoring all of the possibilities, and the voice in his head warning in him what he was about to do was going to hurt, Ezra reached up and grabbed at what he hoped was a fairly stable piece of piping. It held fast, and he pulled himself up a few feet, struggling to find a foothold. His right foot landed on what felt like bricks, and he risked shifting some of his weight there. Holding his breath, he reached for the next grip he could find, another wooden beam. Again, he pulled up, doing his best to pretend the substance he could feel on his arm was water, and not blood. His left foot sought support, but this time there was none to be found. The beam gave way and he fell back to the ground, unable to silence his reaction.

"Ezra! What the hell happened? Ezra answer me."

"Nothing to concern yourself with Vin. A simple misstep. Won't happen again."

 _He's hurt. You have to tell him to stop._

"They can't hear you child."

 _Why not?_

"The simplest explanation is because they don't want to." Ezra didn't want to add the other reason he feared was the case. They weren't as near to death as he was right now.

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Chris disconnected his cell call, smiling broadly. "Travis is going to arrange for a couple of teams to stake this place out. When Bronstein's men come to get the guns, we'll move in."

"Why do I get the feeling it's more than just a good bust that has you smiling?" Nathan was pretty sure of the answer.

"Because Vin owes me a steak dinner, restaurant of my choice. I told him Larry was jerking him around on this, but he was sure of himself."

"You going to call him and gloat?"

Chris tried to look severe. "I don't gloat." He tilted his head as he thought it over. As satisfying as it would be to see Vin's face as he admitted defeat on this one, it was a rather petty way to handle things. "I'll call him and let them know they can head back. May even catch them before they get up there."

Nathan shook his head as he watched Chris dig for his phone again. "No, they got an early start. JD wanted to be back to help with the decorating."

"Early start and Ezra don't belong in the same sentence."

"Except for when JD turns on the lost puppy dog look. Even Ezra has been known to cave in on that one."

Chris looked down at his phone as if it had offended him. "Service says he's out of range." He tried again with Ezra's number and had the same response. Nathan had tried JD as well and shrugged to show his failure.

"Might be a good idea to head up to the house. Boys are probably still searching it. Wonder if Buck and Josiah can meet us up there?"

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"Not really like Chris to arrange this. Wonder what he's worried about?"

Buck was too busy trying to find the correct turn off to be paying much attention to Josiah. He was surprised by Chris's call suggesting they all meet up with Vin, Ezra and JD to let them know the guns had been located. Just because there was no cell service was no reason to send in the troops.

"Said it was a feeling is all. I've learned not to argue with him when he gets like that."

"But if he found the guns, he can't be worried they ran into trouble." Josiah stopped himself. "What am I saying? There is always a way for those three to find trouble."

"We can all be pretty good at that." Buck followed the orders given by his GPS and turned onto a secondary country road. "You don't think we should be worried, do you? I mean, what kind of trouble could they find out here?"

"You really want me to answer that?" There was no mistaking the genuine concern in Josiah's question.

"No, I've got enough scary images in my mind as it is."

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	3. Chapter 3

"How you doing Ezra? Any luck getting out?" Vin waited a moment for the response. "Ezra?"

"Maybe he's made it out and gone for help." JD sounded hopeful, and Vin didn't want to ruin it by pointing out Ezra would have let them know before leaving the building. Unfortunately, it only took the young man a moment to figure that out. "Ezra, answer us."

"My apologies gentleman, I was momentarily distracted." Unconscious was a more accurate descriptive, but they didn't need to know that.

"Heard a crash a couple minutes ago. You hurt yourself, didn't you?"

Ezra smothered the cough, and the moan that followed it. "Nothing to speak of. I am currently in search of another avenue of egress, as it were. The stair case does seem to be insurmountable at this point."

"Damn. Ezra, I don't mean to put any pressure on you, but I think the water is coming in faster. It's not high enough to cause problems yet, but it's getting there."

"Perhaps our best plan would simply be to break through this floor and haul you up from your current location."

 _That won't work. The floor is solid rock. Joey said it was pirate cave._

"We thought of that Ezra, but it looks like this set up was carved into the rock bed somehow. Ceiling is solid. The only open spot was the stair case."

"That was a foolish design." Ezra cast a glare at the young girl as if she had been to blame.

"I doubt anyone was anticipating the building falling on them."

"Can you get yourselves out of the water for now?" It had to be cold, and hypothermia was not going to help either one of them if they were injured.

Knowing what Ezra was thinking, Vin didn't want to put any extra pressure on him. "We're perching on some crates for the moment. Should be able to stay above it for at least – well for a while anyway."

"I shall endeavour to resolve this before it becomes an issue."

 _You can't get out. None of you can._

"I do not intend to let them die trapped in this house." He spoke softly, not wanting Vin or JD to hear him.

 _That's how I died. If you all die, I'll have company._

"What is your name?"

 _Emily Ann, but my friends used to call me Emmy._

"Well Emmy, I am Ezra Standish, and as much I as can appreciate your desire for companionship, I do not intend that those to men be your new friends. You may however be stuck with me for eternity." He worked his way back to the staircase, certain now it was the only option.

 _No, if you get out, they'll find you and you get to leave._

"Do you intend to try to block my efforts?" There were several seconds of silence.

 _No. Then I would be like the bad men who killed my mom and dad. And Joey._

The murders that had happened some 20 years earlier. Ezra stopped his efforts as a wave of sadness overtook him. "Oh Lord. You saw it happen?" She nodded slowly.

 _The bad men came in and yelled at daddy. I was at the top of the stairs and I heard a gun shot and mommy screamed. Then there was another shot. Joey ran in from the TV room and they shot him. I ran. I hid in a secret closet in my room. There were lots of them in the house. They looked for me but didn't find me._

"But why didn't you come out when they left?"

 _The door wouldn't open. Something got pushed against it_.

He reached out to lay a hand on her shoulder, which passed through her. "I am so sorry Emmy."

She said nothing, but the shimmering image faded away. Ezra felt suddenly tired and alone, wanting to do nothing more than close his eyes and go to sleep. The soft buzz of conversation from below reminded him why that was not an option, and he dragged himself back to his own personal Mt. Everest.

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Nathan looked at his phone again. "Still getting four bars. Don't know why their signal has dropped out."

"We're still about 40 minutes away. Lot can change in that distance."

"This isn't the middle of nowhere Chris. We get signals just fine at the ranch, and that house is easily as close to a town as you are."

Chris didn't have the answers, and that was just one of the things that had him mad right now. He couldn't explain the increased sense of anxiety he was feeling, but he knew in his bones something was wrong. "Maybe it's the mountains, or the trees, or some kind of mineral in the ground. How the hell should I know. You'll have to wait until we find JD and get him to explain it to you."

"Steady Chris. We don't know that there's a problem."

"Don't we?"

Before he could answer, Nathan's phone rang. Hope disappeared as quickly as it had arrived when he saw the call was from Josiah.

"We're about 30 minutes away. You hear anything from them yet."

"Not a sound. Chris thinks something is interfering with their phones. You know it's more likely than not that one of us will pass them on the road on their way home."

Josiah nodded even though Buck was the only one who could see it. "I'll add that thought to my prayers."

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 _You can't give up now. They need your help._

Ezra wasn't aware that he had zoned out on his climb. He was crawling inch by painful inch toward the light coming through the remnants of the walls. He had no idea how long he'd been at it, or how long he had been out of it. As much as he wanted to know how his friends were holding up, he knew they would ask about his health, and he doubted he had the strength to fool them. That would lead to them trying to get out on their own, and he was convinced that could not end well.

"Thank you for the encouragement. I am glad you are back."

 _It wasn't very nice of me to leave you alone._

"All things considered, it was not an unreasonable action."

 _You shouldn't talk. You need your strength_.

Ezra nodded and forced his focus back on the task. He was almost to the floor level. He had no idea what he would find when he got there but could only pray there was a path out.

 _You'll be able to get out the back way. It's wide open._

"I just need to be able to call for help."

 _I don't know anything about that fancy phone of yours. My dad had one, but it didn't look like that. It never worked up here._

He smiled weakly. "A few things have changed since then. Advanc –" he gasped loudly as his foot slipped again and he slid back. He grabbed for the first thing he could reach and made contact with wires. They began to slip through his hand and he fought to wrap them around his fist, praying they were firmly attached to something at the other end. He lay panting for several minutes as he tried to gather his strength.

"Can you see my friends? Can you go down there?"

She faded from view and returned in what felt like the blink of an eye.

 _The water is rising. It is above the boxes they are on. I'm sorry._

Ezra didn't need to hear more. Pulling on the wires for leverage he didn't bother hiding the shriek of pain that ripped into him. His other hand waved frantically above his head, searching for anything to grab onto.

 _To your right, just a little bit more. You can do it Mr. Standish. Just a few more inches._

He sobbed with relief when he felt the cold metal of plumbing pipe. He tugged at it and pulled again, heaving himself up and collapsing on the small landing that remained miraculously intact. JD and Vin were shouting for him. They'd heard his cries and demanded he speak to them, but he couldn't find the breath to answer them. The back door was long since gone and he crawled his way though the opening and onto the lawn, revelling in the cooling sensation of the rain on his overheated body. He could feel himself drifting off again. No, not yet. He wasn't ready.

With numb, raw fingers he dug in his pocket of his phone. Free of the building, he would be able to summon help, and let them know where to find the others. He turned the phone on and stared in disbelief at the 'no signal' message.

He turned his attention to the car. It was a hundred feet away, but it looked like miles. Then reality slammed into him. JD had the keys. Even if he could get to it, it would mean nothing. Weeping softly, he closed his eyes.

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	4. Chapter 4

Buck pulled his car in behind JD's and hopped out. He scanned the area, eyes coming to rest on the dilapidated ruin of a house in front of them. "This can't be the place."

"Car's here. It must be." Josiah reached over and leaned on the horn for several seconds, causing Buck to jump in surprise. "Figured it was the fastest way to let them know we're here."

"Warn a guy next time."

They watched the building for signs of life. Seeing none, they started up the walkway, stopping at the sound of another car. Chris was out of the vehicle almost before it stopped.

"Where are they?"

"No sign." Buck answered, knowing his own face matched the worried look he saw from Chris.

"We were getting phone signal on the road, and nothing once we pulled in. Could someone be jamming it?"

Josiah didn't have a clue. "Out here? Why? Look at the place. It's falling down."

Chris was walking to the front, with the others falling in behind. He stopped short, cocking his head at a sound he couldn't identify.

 _Please, help us. He's here. Please._

"What's up?" Buck followed the line where Chris was staring but saw nothing.

"Thought I heard something. Wind I guess."

"I didn't hear any wind." Buck started moving again.

 _PLEASE!_

Josiah stepped away from the walk and moved towards the side of the house. "I heard it that time to. It wasn't wind."

Nathan looked at Buck in confusion and watched as Chris went after Josiah.

 _Around the back. Please hurry._

"Nathan, get over here. Now." Chris was running forward and dropped to his knees with Josiah just steps behind. Without being able to see, the other two had a good idea what they had found. "GO! I'll get the first aid kit." Buck shoved at Nathan as he ran to get supplies.

"It's OK Ezra. We're here. You're going to be alright son."

"Basement." He spoke but no sound came out. "Basement."

"No Ezra stay still." Nathan didn't think Ezra was hearing him. Buck ran up and dropped the bag on the ground, looking around as he did. "He say where Vin and JD are?"

"Think he is trying to."

 _Wake up Mr. Standish. Tell them about your friends. You have to wake up or they'll die._

Ezra's eyes shot open. "Basement. Flooding." He weakly raised and arm and pointed. "Trapped." His arm dropped back as he coughed, writhing as the movement jolted pain through him again.

"Take care of him Nathan." Chris was on his feet and running with the others close behind. He stopped short at the door, taking in the chaos in front of him.

"Vin! JD! Where are you?"

"About damn time you showed up! Get us outta here." Chris looked in disbelief at the challenge in front of him. The only path down was steep incline littered with jagged debris. His flashlight caught smears of red and he knew where it had come from. "Josiah, stay up here so you can pull us out. Buck, follow me."

"Ezra said it's flooding. How deep?" He began making his way down the wreckage ramp, trying to smooth the path. He was totally baffled by the realization Ezra must have climbed up it.

"Let's just say sooner is better than later."

"Much sooner." JD added with a hint of panic in his voice.

The seconds seemed like an eternity until Buck was at his side looking at the final obstacle. "OK, no time to be delicate. Can you two get away from the stairwell?"

"You plan on caving it in?"

"Only fast option there is." There were several seconds of silence.

"OK, we're on the other side and behind some crates. Let 'er rip."

Buck grabbed at some larger pieces of pipe and handed one to Chris. "Pounding on it seems obvious." The two men stood to the side and started hitting, hoping the vibrations didn't bring more of the house down on their heads. It was the sixth slam Buck made that broke the dam, and he almost fell in because of his momentum.

Vin and JD basically swam to the open space, gratefully accepting the hand up from Chris. Buck had already peeled off his coat and wrapped it around a shivering JD. Chris quickly did the same for Vin, guiding them over to the way out. The stood staring mutely at the wreckage.

"You don't have to climb." Josiah called down as he dropped a rope.

"At least, not without help." Buck gently pushed Vin back. "I'll go up and we can pull you up."

Vin looked stunned as he turned to Chris. "Ezra climbed up there? I thought he was hurt." When Chris didn't answer, Vin's face fell. "Chris, where's Ezra?"

"Nathan's with him." That was all the incentive Vin needed to begin his assent. JD tried to move as quickly, but vertigo was setting in and he needed a bit more help. By the time he was out, Vin was already sitting on the grass beside Ezra, gently trying to bandage his hands.

"What the hell did you do to yourself Pard? What were you thinking?"

 _You did it, Mr. Standish. You saved them._

"I'm sorry." He looked at the image as she began to shimmer out of sight. "I'm sorry."

"Nothing to be sorry for Pard. You did it."

"Vin?"

He reached over and wiped the rain from Ezra's face. "Yup. We're out. We're all out."

"Not all. She's upstairs."

Chris looked at Vin. "She? Who else is here?"

Vin shook his head. "Nobody else. He's confused."

"Unless he means a ghost." JD offered.

"Don't start that again JD. I don't want to hear another word about ghosts or dying or any of that crap."

"Vin, either calm down or let go of Ezra. He's busted up enough."

Embarrassed by his outburst Vin released his grip on Ezra's hand and looked at JD. "Sorry Kid. I just…"

"Yeah, I'm scared too."

"Closet. Upstairs. Please." Ezra wheezed the words out before surrendering to his exhaustion.

"Ezra? Ezra wake up!"

7-7-7-7-7-7-7

There had been a great deal of protest from Vin and JD about getting into the ambulance when it arrived but a final order from Chris ended the debate. Nathan was riding back with Ezra in the Medivac helicopter Buck had summoned when he drove down the drive to get back into cell range. Following the ambulance out, Buck drove JD's car with Josiah following. Chris was the last to pull away, gazing back at the house before leaving. He was sure it was a trick of the light that created the image of a face in an upstairs window.

By the time he, Buck and Josiah were at the hospital, Vin and JD were being settled into an observation room.

"We're fine Chris. Cold and bruised, but fine."

Buck interrupted Vin's reassurances with a grin. "They are sending them both for x-rays as soon as they can get the two of them warmed up. Betting money says the minimum is that Vin has cracked ribs, and maybe collarbone, and JD has a concussion."

"Any word on Ezra?"

The grin faded fast. "Emergency surgery. He's bleeding internally and they're trying to see how bad. Nathan said his blood pressure was almost too low to register. Got a fever too, so they are going to be loading him up on antibiotics and who knows what."

Vin looked dejected. "Guess the fever accounts for that rambling about someone being upstairs."

Chris nodded, but didn't look convinced. Conversation ebbed, and nothing more was said until Vin and JD went for further tests.

"We'll be in the waiting room. Soon as we hear anything, we'll be back."

7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7

"You're looking almost human again Ezra." Buck lifted the cover off Ezra's dinner tray and frowned at what he saw.

"Thank you, Buck. I wish I felt closer to that status."

"Doc says you will in a few more days. Did you eat your pudding?"

"No. JD did." Buck scowled at the young agent sitting the corner now making an elaborate show of licking his lips. "If I could convince one of you to eat the rest of the meal, it would keep the nurse from berating me on the matter."

Buck looked at the mystery meat and unknown vegetable and shook his head, covering the dish again. "Sorry Ezra – you're on your own."

Nathan's lecture began as he came into the room. "Ezra, stop trying to get someone else to do that and just eat the stuff. You need to get your strength up if you want to be out of here on Monday."

"I want to be out of here now."

"You had surgery barely 24 hours ago, and you still have a fever. Monday is being optimistic."

"Vin and JD have been released, even if they won't leave the hospital."

Both had been kept for observation, but after a day of driving the staff crazy, they were released with the promise they would not be left alone for another 48 hours. Rather than heading home to rest, the duo made a beeline for Ezra's room where they had settled in for the day.

"Neither had surgery. Neither had a fever, although both should be home resting." Knowing his comments were being ignored, Nathan moved to the foot of Ezra's bed an looked over the chart. "All things considered, I have to admit you're doing better than I would have guessed."

Vin took exception to the comment. "How is this better. He's black and blue everywhere, his hands are a mess, he's fighting infections and came damn close to losing a kidney."

"The organ in question was not injured Vin, and I have been assured the other trivialities will heal."

"Nothing trivial about any of this Ezra."

"Josiah. I was wondering when the room capacity would be met."

"Likely exceeded." Chris observed as he was the last to enter. "Sorry to be late but had a few official matters to take care of."

Vin grinned sheepishly. "Any of that relate to the gun bust I heard about the evening news."

While they had all been waiting for word on Ezra, another team had succeeding in swooping in on Bronstein's men at the gun drop. Deals were being made faster than they could be written up, and it looked like the trial that would take him out of circulation was only a formality now.

"That was part of it. We used the raid and the arrest as a reason to extend the warrants to include a full search of all properties he owned, including that death trap you guys were in."

Ezra paled slightly at the mention of the house. He had been able to keep the building, and the experience out of his conscious mind most of the time he was awake. The dreams he'd been having were another matter entirely. He hated feeling that he had failed the little girl.

"The place was barely standing. How could you expect to search it?" Vin didn't like the idea of anybody going in there for any reason. The only resolution he could envision was a wrecking ball demolishing what was left.

"There are experts at that sort of thing. Safety harnesses, bucket cranes. They have ways." Chris moved next to the bed. "You feel up to hearing this?" In response to the small nod, he continued.

"They checked what they could, focusing on the closets of the bedrooms. With everything rotting the way it was, it didn't take them long to find some hidden crawl spaces in the closets. One of them had a skeleton. Preliminary exam makes it to be a young girl, somewhere between 6 and 8 years old."

"Emily Ann Bronstein." Josiah sounded old as he spoke, the weight of a young girls terrifying lonely death resonating through him.

"Her friends called her Emmy." Ezra spoke softly. They all looked at him, but none spoke. As much as he joined the others in feeling sadness at the discovery, he couldn't dismiss the sensation of peace he was feeling as well. He hoped – believed – this meant that she was no longer trapped there, and although he had no strong belief in heaven or hell, he couldn't help but think she was once again with her family where she belonged.

Chris finally broke the awkward silence. "There will have to be tests done before we can be sure."

"I am sure."

There was no point in challenging that conviction. "Well, Bronstein's lawyer has already said his client wants nothing to do with the remains, or anything else relating to that house. City inspectors will probably order it demolished."

"What will happen to her if her own family won't claim her?" JD was sickened by the thought the remains would be locked away in a coroner's vault only to end up in a pauper's grave.

"Won't she be buried with her family?" Buck felt the same as JD did. As they all did.

"Not if the bastard doesn't claim her."

"Can we arrange to have her buried there?" Ezra's normal resolve was no where in sight as he all but pleaded with Chris for a positive reply.

"I imagine the Judge might be able to pull a few strings, but technically she's unclaimed. City won't cover something like that." Chris was about to comment further but didn't have the chance.

"The city doesn't have to. She saved my life. I know you all will think me quite mad, or at a minimum delirious, but I would not have made my way out of that nightmare without her guidance and encouragement." He looked at the team virtually daring them to dispute the claim. "And if I had not made it out, I doubt Vin and JD would have been found in time either. Seeing she has a proper rest is the least I can do for her."

"You're wrong Ezra." Vin stood resolutely and moved to the bed. "It is the least WE can do for her. And we will. All of us."

M7-M7-M7-M7-M7-M7-M7


	5. Chapter 5

"I don't like funerals on sunny days. It doesn't seem fitting." JD fidgeted with his tie until Buck gently slapped the hand down. They were making their way with the others toward the gravesite at the far end of the cemetery. Chris was focusing his attention on Ezra, whose slower walking courtesy of the brace on his knee set the pace for all of them. He'd only been out of the hospital one day, and it was just a week since the ordeal had occurred. Trying to convince him to use a wheelchair had been a waste of breath.

"I will stand at her grave." As Chris watched him walk, he only hoped Ezra wouldn't actually fall in.

Vin had seen it as well. He was a bit more subtle in his monitoring efforts but was fully aware of how stressful this was. When they reached the spot where the small coffin rested above the open grave, he moved to stand next to Ezra, gently placing a hand under his elbow for support. Ezra didn't shift his gaze from the coffin but did give a hint of a smile in acknowledgement.

Josiah spoke a few words, offering traditional prayers and words of comfort. Ezra heard them without registering the content. Words didn't matter. What he needed couldn't come from well intentioned platitudes and overworked sentiment.

He watched as the casket was slowly lowered into the ground and carefully bent to grab a handful of dirt to throw on top. He wiped his hands and turned, stumbling slightly when a movement caught his eye. Vin reached to help him, but he waved it off, smiling far more sincerely now that he had before, as he watched the leaves swirl on the ground, following a wisp of white mist disappear into the sky.

The End.


End file.
